EZ Soffit Vent. Versatile Soffit Termination System

Transcription

1 EZ Soffit Vent Versatile Soffit Termination System

2 Save Time and Money with Pre-Soffit Installation Bathroom ventilation fans should deliver optimum air flow and meet customer expectations. EZ Soffit Vent is a first-to-market, HVI-Certified soffit termination system that helps optimize airflow by letting you complete all ducting before soffit panel install. EZ Soffit Vent enables you to overcome customer satisfaction call backs due to poor airflow and back drafting. A unique set of features lower total installed cost, while providing high performance results. Model: EZSV14

3 Key Features and Benefits Patent pending soffit termination system ideal for new residential construction First-to-market, HVI-Certified soffit vent helps optimize airflow by letting you complete all ducting before soffit panel install High performance soffit vent improves overall fan performance and reduces call backs due to poor airflow Simple, one-stop installation helps reduce total installed costs (callbacks, labor and parts) Unique design eliminates water intrusion costs associated with roof and/or wall terminations EZ Soffit Vent body snap-fits easily into mounting bracket and can be rotated 180 degrees to align with ducting Low resistance backdraft damper eliminates cold drafts and improves blower door test results

4 Additional Features and Benefits: Designed for ventilation fans up to 110 CFM, using 4" ductwork Mounting bracket can be located anywhere there s a vertical surface within the overhang Overall height is less than 6" and fits in a 4/12 pitch roof overhang (with 2x6 fascia board) Compact design fits in a narrow 12" soffit (10.5" fascia to building) Duct connection stub is 2.25" in length, allowing plenty of surface area for connection and sealing Flush mounted termination grille mounts with a single fastener (included) Warranty: 6 months

5 Static Pressure (inch w.g.) Specifications, Resistance Curve and Line drawings: EZSoffit Vent EZSV14 Duct Diameter 4 " HVI Certified Yes Specifications Mfg in ISO 9001 Cerfifed Facility Yes Internal Backdrap Damper Yes MFG in USA Yes Shipping Gross Weight (lbs) 1.3 Grille Size 7.56 Product Length 9.38 Product Height 6.00 Installation Product Width 8.00 Grille Rotation 360 Pre-Soffit Install Yes Duct Adapter Mount Area Side Duct Adapter Rotation Airflow (CFM) EZSV14

6 Competitive Benchmark: BRAND EZ Soffit Vent Tapco International Imperial Dundas-Jafine Novik Industries Lambro Duraflo Model EZSV14 Intake/Exhaust Vent VT0542 SEVZW # 155W Features HVI Certified Yes No No No No No No Professional grade Yes No No No No No No Built-in Backdraft Damper Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes Duct connector can be rotated to fit Yes No No No No No No Complete mounting system included with unit Yes No No No No No No Mounts to structure inside overhang- not to the soffit Yes No No No No No No Designed to discharge 100% of exhaust away from building Yes No No No No No No Additional Information (1) Tested cfm* with 80 cfm fan Tested cfm* with 110 cfm fan Fitting pressure drop** with 80 cfm fan system Fitting pressure drop** with 110 cfm fan system note: (*) higher is better note: (**) lower is better (1) Additional Information: Research conducted by Home Building Technology Services, LLC Kaukauna WI EZ Soffit Vent, brought to you by Panasonic: HVI-Certified Versatile installation Lower installed cost Reduced call backs High performance results Increased customer satisfaction

7 Key Communication Platform FY2017 Media Placements: ACHR The News HVAC/R News Daily Business Update Professional Builder..with more to come

8 Target Markets: Custom/Production Single Family Multi-Family Renovation/Remodeling Hotel/Lodging Target Audience: Builders Remodelers Installers HERS Raters Homeowners Projects: New Construction ASHRAE 62.2 Energy Star 3.0 LEED for Homes Green building programs California Title 24 CALGreen Federally funded weatherization Assisted Living Distribution: HVAC Wholesalers Electrical Wholesalers Building Supply Roofing/Siding Online

9 FAQ s * 1) Does venting a fan out the soffit have advantages over roof or wall locations? YES. Given that most bathrooms are located adjacent to outside walls; the soffit may provide a shorter duct run which is always good for air flow and can help reduce total installation costs. In cold climates the horizontal duct work would now be buried in attic insulation which helps reduce condensation potential by keeping the entire system warmer. Another benefit is that roof and wall discharge locations require water intrusion protection against bulk water entry because of their locations on the building. They need to be integrated into the code required weather resistant barrier. This flashing material & labor adds to the cost. Venting at the soffit does not require water intrusion protection further reducing total installation costs. 2) Are there any Code restrictions or requirements for venting a bath fan out the soffit? It is always recommended that you contact the authority having jurisdiction, for the code applicable to your project. Actual building codes can vary substantially because for any given State, County, City and/or municipality their code may be a mix of adopted versions of a National Model Code with or without regional and/or local amendments. * All FAQ s and answers are specifically geared towards venting a bath fan at the soffit but in many may address other discharge locations.

10 FAQ s 3) Some soffit fittings don t work very well in modern designs using smaller overhangs. Will this one fit? YES. This fitting was specifically designed to fit in even the most compact of enclosed overhangs where horizontal soffits are used. The vast majority of soffit fittings have the duct connection at the top and this can cause interference between the ducting and roof sheeting when used on narrow soffits and low pitched roofs. The innovative mounting system and side duct connection of the EZSoffitVent make it an ideal solution for narrow soffits and low pitch roofs. This unit will fit even in the smallest of enclosed overhangs using horizontal soffits, as long as the following minimum overhang conditions are available: Minimum 4/12 pitch roof Minimum 12 wide soffit (actual 10.5 fascia to building) Minimum 2 x 6 fascia (vertical height) This fitting was designed for these conditions giving you a soffit fitting option that covers just about every modern horizontal soffit design. It can also be used with engineered wood fascia & soffit finishing systems as long as the minimum conditions above are met. 4) This unit is designed for pre-soffit installation. Who is responsible for installing this unit? The answer lies within one of the primary design goals, that being; giving one person the ability to complete the fan installation and all ducting in one trip. Without pre-soffit termination installation, one end of the ducting cannot be completed by the fan installer. This leaves either a second trip for the fan installer, or in most cases the ducting is left to the soffit contractor to complete. Neither of these choices ensures optimal fan performance and a second trip by the fan installer is certainly not cost effective. A primary design goal was to provide the ability for the installing fan contractor to complete the ducting in one trip with no wasted material or time. This could be the electrical contractor, the HVAC contractor or in some cases the building contractor. One of the major performance problems with typical soffit termination fittings is that the fan installer cannot complete the ducting because the fitting itself needs to be attached to the soffit which is typically not there yet when the fan is installed. This usually results in excess duct length that is not always cut to fit by the soffit installer and is then stuffed up into the overhang. Any excess ducting will impact performance especially if it is compressed and/or collapsed as the fitting is being pushed into position and secured to the soffit.

11 FAQ s 5) Do I have to worry about any moist exhaust air entering the attic through vented soffit material? NO. Not with the EZSoffitVent due to it s built in air-tight back draft damper. However, this is a valid concern in cold climates with most soffit fittings on the market today. Extensive field investigation(2) into attic moisture problems associated with bath fan venting out the soffit, find that it is due to the lack of an air-tight damper somewhere within the system that causes the problem, not the use of vented soffit material. 6) As we know warm air rises, and with a fan in the ceiling it is basically a small chimney during the heating season. There is warm moist air continually leaving the building through the ducting system under natural conditions we call the stack effect, again; because in most cases there is no intentional shut off point either near the fan or at the soffit termination fitting. Once at the outside, this warm moist air may turn upward and try to enter the attic through the vented soffit material. This moist air once outside the fitting may also travel along the side of the building slightly frosting the face of the soffit material providing an unsightly appearance. The EZSoffitVent built in air-tight damper completely shuts off unwanted moist discharge air during periods when the fan is not running, eliminating the current market objections to venting fans at the soffit especially when using vented soffit materials. When the fan is running, the warm moist air being exhausted is directed away from the building and downward at a 45 degree angle significantly reducing the potential for any attic entry even when using vented soffit materials. 7) Can this unit help solve cold climate call backs regarding cold air entering the home through the bath fan? YES. A cold bathroom is a very common complaint, and once again it can be traced to any exhaust fan system that does not have an integrated air-tight back draft damper. It s common to have cold air entering one bath fan and falling into the room to provide make up air for another, especially in newer well sealed homes. This situation can significantly impact comfort levels within a bathroom. In many cases, aftermarket in- line dampers are added to try and solve this problem. This approach is not only expensive but the fan air flow will be negatively impacted when the fan is running because these in-line dampers are restrictive. The EZSoffitVent was designed to cost effectively address this very issue and by having the damper at the exterior of the ducting system, it helps keep the entire ducting system warmer. (2) Research conducted by Home Building Technology Services, LLC Kaukauna WI

12 FAQ s 8) Does the built in air-tight damper provide other benefits that are valuable in all building climates? YES. The damper takes the place of the fine screen or wire mesh that is typically used for insect protection in many termination fittings. In fact the solid damper provides better protection because when closed it completely shuts off all entry potential. A very common problem with fine screens and wires is that they accumulate house particles; dust and hair, along with tissue fibers, and can eventually plug up severely restricting air flow. In addition; where homes are Blower Door tested for quality assurance, code, or especially for HERS Index, the damper reduces (improves) the tested leakage value. Resnet testing procedures do not allow for sealing off intermittent ventilation terminations. Having the built in damper improves testing values and may improve the HERS Index for a given home. Builders getting their homes HERS qualified will benefit from using this fitting. 9) What soffit thickness can be used with this system? To ensure that the grille shoulder inserts far enough into the vent body the recommended soffit thickness range is between 5/16 minimum to a maximum of ½. The grille retaining screw provided with the unit is a #8 x 1-1/4 long. This length was based on these standard soffit dimensions. You could use this unit on materials up to ¾ thick but you may need a longer screw. 10) Can this unit be used as a standalone intake device or in pairs with an HRV or ERV? YES. This unit was designed primarily for exhaust but by removing the damper it could be used as an intake. The damper is designed for easy removal and the discharge grille has an inset step designed in, that can accept an insect screen or wire if needed. (screen not provided) When used in pairs, this unique compact fitting design is ideal for the venting of modern HRVs and ERVs at the soffit location making it an ideal solution for slab on grade construction. 11) Can the discharge grille be painted or is it available in other colors? YES. It can be painted using paint appropriate for Polypropylene material. The grille surface is lightly textured to help with paint adhesion. We recommend a flat or satin finish to blend in with the soffit finish. Given that the discharge grille itself does not protrude down below the soffit, we chose the current white color as it provides the same aesthetics as a trim ring on recessed can lights that are frequently mounted in the soffit area. Note: Custom colors in quantity can be special ordered. Contact Panasonic for details.

13 FAQ s 12) Some fans have 6 duct connections or an option for 6. Can this 4 unit be used with 6 flex ducting? YES. This 4 fitting was designed for bath fans up to and including 110 cfm using 4 ducting, but 6 ducting can certainly be used along with any required adapters. Using 6 ducting where convoluted and/or long duct runs are inevitable, will provide a significant benefit by reducing system total static pressure which is always good for airflow. When using 6 ducting, there is only a small pressure drop associated with reducing back to 4 to connect to this fitting. When using 6 ducting it is recommended that you try and get the 6 over the outside wall top plate and just into the overhang. From there use a 6 x4 reducer combined with a 4 90 degree elbow. Rotate the connection stub of the EZSoffitVent so it s parallel to the fascia. This allows the 90 degree elbow to go right onto the fitting. Be sure to fully insulate any ductwork that s outside in the overhang. In this situation if using insulated flex duct with metal fittings, you would need to insulate the metal fittings. This can be done by cutting the flex duct long enough initially to provide coverage and then trim the inner air connection to length. Use the excess insulation to insulate metal fittings! 13) Is this product Home Ventilation Institute (HVI) certified? What does this mean for me? YES. This unit is HVI certified and is the Industry s first ever in HVI Section 2; for duct termination fittings. Panasonic was instrumental in the establishment of a duct termination category and this clearly demonstrates Panasonic s commitment to INSTALLED PERFORMANCE. As with other air distribution systems, all components either help or hinder air flow. Up until this time only fans were certified so that you could try and design a system and manage expectations, but without knowing the impact of other system components like duct work and fittings, actual system function is difficult to predict. This is why we find so many tested bath fan systems delivering much lower air flows than expected. Bath fan systems are a very important part of managing bathroom moisture levels and overall Indoor Air Quality. Having the ability to reliably design, install and commission a system requires we fully understand the impact of individual components and the installation process itself. This innovative Professional grade soffit termination installation system incorporates features that not only improve airflow but help reduce duct installation challenges currently experienced with the available selection of soffit fittings. Using the HVI specs for the fan and well as for this termination fitting, puts you in a better competitive position to deliver optimum air flow, improving customer satisfaction and reducing call backs.

14 FAQ s 14) Has this unit been tested in cold climates? YES. Our extensive 3 year field testing has shown that this unit with built in air tight damper performs as designed, preventing cold air from back drafting through the duct system which helps improve room comfort where the fan is located. Frost build up on the damper only occurred during extended periods of below Zero temperatures when combined with more than 7 days where the fan was not operated ona regular basis. (daily) Even then the damper opened within one minute after fan activation. We felt this was very acceptable give the substantial benefits the damper provides. 15) Can this unit be used in retrofit applications? YES. Your unique conditions will determine the procedures needed, but as long as you can get a section of existing soffit removed, this will work fine. Already we have had many people use it in retrofit. Some were replacing an existing soffit fitting, some were installing a completely new exhaust fan and ducting, and others were taking existing systems that were not vented out and adding this fitting. Once you have access into the overhang, the installation instructions are the same as for new construction. Some older homes have ¾ fascia board whereas this unit is designed for a 1-1/2 fascia board thickness. It is recommended that with ¾ fascia board, you space out the mounting bracket with a piece of material so that you have 1-1/2 thickness at the fascia. This positions the finished grill far enough inward so that its rim does not overlap the bottom of the fascia tin. Either way it does work with ¾ thick fascia board.

15 Panasonic Advanced Ventilation & IAQ Solutions Please bookmark: Technical specifications Installation Instruction Submittal sheets and architectural specifications And much more Copyright 2008 Panasonic Corporation of North America

16 Copyright 2008 Panasonic Corporation of North America APPENDIX

17 Detailed Installation Instructions Instructions and best practices for installing the fitting along with ducting tips when using 4 duct Copyright 2008 Panasonic Corporation of North America

18 What s Inside the Box? Contents: One assembled unit w/bracketry Installation instruction sheet in: English Spanish French Screw packet: 1- #8 x 1-1/4 Plastite screw 6- #6 x ¾ drywall screws

19 Tools Needed: Tools & Supplies Tape measure Marker Cordless Drill #2 Phillips bit Magnetic drive Small level Approved tape 1- tie wrap Utility knife Wire cutters #2 Phillips screwdriver

20 Pre Installation Recommendations: 1. Insert grille retainer screw into the grille. It has a retainer feature. 2. Near the installation location, hang the grille temporarily to avoid dropping, but install the grille when ducting is completed.

21 Mounting Location Choice: Fascia Board Inner Surface Places air discharge farthest away from building to prevent re-entry (preferred placement). Requires no additional framing members or parts for installation. 1. Select the same truss cavity where the fan is installed. 2. Connect ducting to the termination fitting first*: then trim to length and connect at fan. DUCT SELECTION*: 4 Duct * Duct type and diameter impacts air flow: select appropriate material type & size

22 For fascia area location mounting with 24 on center roof members: 1. Measure distance between members and place a vertical line at the center point. 2. Line up the mounting bracket lower screw hole with this line.

23 3. Position the bracket bottom flush with mounting surface. NOTE: this sets up the correct mating position with the top of the soffit material.

24 TIP: a clamp can provide an extra hand which can be very helpful when you re on a ladder!

25 4. With bracket in correct position install center mounting screw.

26 NOTE: With bracket flush with mounting surface, it should be level. Good practice is to verify with a small level. The closer to level, the better damper function you get! (within the lines should be fine) Level also helps ensure a flush grille to soffit fit for a real clean look!

27 5. With position verified: Install the other 2 mounting screws. NOTE: Mounting bracket system is intentionally colored WHITE to make it easier to see the holes; saving you time!

28 NOTE:. It s also very important to verify the bracket is level this way as well. If so, it will help ensure a good fit between the grille and the soffit face. If the bubble is between the lines you should be Ok as the bracket has some flex designed into it. Keep in mind that the soffit panel material will be pretty level between the fascia and the side of the building. Shim if needed.

29 Alternate location options and mounting: Termination assembly can be located anywhere inboard of the fascia by adding a single wood mounting member as shown in the 2 examples below, or you can space off the bracket from the fascia as needed. Once the wood member is installed, follow the installation steps shown in the previous slides. In this picture a piece of sheeting was attached to the upper truss chord flush with the bottom of the fascia board and level across the bottom. Mount the bracket and check it for level both ways as grille to soffit fit is dependant on this. In this picture a piece of 2x4 framing was installed flush with the bottom of the fascia board and level across. Mount the bracket and check it for level both ways as grille to soffit fit is dependant on this.

30 6. Slide vent body rib into bracket positioning it between lower & upper rails. NOTE:. Bracket is designed to pinch the vent body once inserted, so it may take a little effort to insert into bracket.

31 7. Rotate the vent body so that the connecting flex duct forms a smooth and gradual sweeping elbow with minimal duct distortion as shown!

32 TIP: Be sure you have no obstructions at the connection end of any duct. Plastic often gets folded inwards or is ragged and can restrict air flow. Trim the end(s) if needed!

33 NOTE:. View the duct from a couple of angles to ensure you form a smooth sweeping elbow with minimal distortion!

34 8. Lock the vent body in this position by installing 2- #6 x ¾ screws NOTE:. No need to over-tighten as screws could strip. Tighten snug enough so screw head is flush with countersunk hole.

35 9. Seal duct to connection stub using approved UL- 181 tape NOTE:. Butt duct work up to the shoulder. Seal across the full ¾ width of step shoulder surface to ensure permanent air-tight seal.

36 NOTE:. This is an example of a good duct connection and a good seal!

37 10. Install bracket cap and lock in place with 1- #6 x ¾ screw. NOTE:. The bracket cap now completes the full circular mating surface for the soffit panel. This is similar to the mud-ring on a recessed light fixture.

38 11. Complete duct connection by bringing down the insulation and vapor retarder. Fasten in place with tiewrap or approved tape.

39 NOTE:. Even without the grill, the built-in back draft damper immediately provides protection against the very common bird nesting problem when building in the spring!

40 12. Installing the grille now completes the termination installation at the exterior. Siding contractor can remove the grille, install the soffit, and re-install the grille. Now go inside and trim the duct to length and connect to fan to complete the fan installation. Installer is done in one trip! NOTE:. The grille is designed to retain the screw. Once inserted the screw is held to the grille to avoid having it fall to the ground or losing it!

41 Outside Installation is now complete at this point! * End of basic installation process for the fan installer Soffit installer instructions start here:

42 SIDING CONTRACTOR: 1. Remove grille and place in a secure spot: loosen screw just enough to remove the grille as the screw retainer feature will keep screw from falling out. TIP: To avoid dropping or losing the grille, hang it on a nail or screw near the finished location!

43 2. Locate the correct position in the soffit panel(s) and cut the hole:

44 3. Install panel(s) and reinstall grille with vanes directing air away from the building:

45 Finished installation: Very attractive clean flush look Works with soffits 5/16 ½ thick Grille can be painted if needed Custom colors available* *For custom color availability and ordering contact BathFanSolutions, LLC Kaukauna, WI

46 A Win/Win for everyone : Real innovation; a cost effective, Professional grade soffit termination installation system that addresses the best interests of the Builder, Contractor and Home owner!